Dispenser



Sept. 22, 1936. F.B. sAUNDERS n DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed '0012. 3, 1934 xn. MN

Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing devices for delivering measured amounts of material from containers.

The principal objects ofthe invention are to 5 provide a dispensing device which is of moistureproof construction and to which a bottle or the like container may be readily applied in inverted position and from which the contents of the bottle may be conveniently discharged in measured amounts into glass tumblers or the like. Other objects are to provide a dispensing device which is of simple and rugged construction and efficient and reliable in operation, which can be actuated "'th equal facility from any side of the device,

which does not scatter the discharged material,

` and which presents only smooth continuous surfaces on the outside so that it may easily be kept in sanitary condition. Further objects relate to the construction and operation of my appa- 2O ratus and will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and accompanying drawings which show different embodiments chosen for the purpose of illustration.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, with parts broken away and shown in section, the parts being shown in normal position with a bottle mounted on the device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device with the bottle removed;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the parts in dispensing position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a dispensing apparatus of modied construction;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus with the container removed; and

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the apparatus with parts broken away and shown in section.

The apparatus shown in Figs 1 to 4 comprises a tubular casing I having an integral lateral lug or arm 2 adapted to t into a recess in the upright 3 of a stand which has a bifurcated base 4 with the open central portion of the base directly beneath the casing I so that a tumbler may restI on the same table as the stand between the two legs 5 of the base in axial alignment with the casing I. The base 4 is connected to the upright 3 by means of a screw 6, and a screw 'I is provided in the upper end of the upright 3 to lock the lug 2 in its socket. v

Intermediate the upper and lower ends of the casing I is a restricted orifice 8, and extending through this orice is a valve stem 9. The stem 9 carries a valve IIJ which is located above the orice 8 in the normal position of the parts as shown in Fig. 1, and which .substantially closes the orifice when the stem is in the advanced position shown in Fig. 4. The stem 9 carries another valve II which closes the lower end of the casing 5 when the parts are in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to provide a moisture-proof seal for the lower end of the apparatus a valve I I is provided with a beveled shoulder I2 which seats squarely against a beveled shoulder provided on 10 the inner edge of the casing I when the stern is in retracted-position, the parts preferably being ground in so as to insure accurate cooperating surfaces. Intermediate the two valves the casing I provides a chamber I3 into which the material l5 to be disposed may flow from the bottle B when the valve stem is retracted.

Projecting inwardly from the casing I above the orince 8 are fins or ribs I4 which extend substantially into contact with the periphery of the 20 valve I0. A bearing I5 for the stern 9 is carried by the upper ends of the ribs, the bearing I5 being integral with the ribs and the ribs being integral with the casing. For the purpose of holding the stem in retracted position, a compression spring 25 IE is mounted about the upper end of the stem, the lower end of the spring seating on the bearing I5 and the upper end of the spring seating against a ange or shoulder on sleeve I'I which is secured to the end of the stem by means of a removable 30 pin I8.

A pair of lugs I9 extend outwardly and downwardly from the lower end of the valve I I into the path of a sleeve 2D slidably mounted on the outside of the casing, the lower edge of the sleeve 35 having recesses 2I to receive the projecting ends of the lugs, and the outer periphery of the sleeve having an annular ridge or bead 22 by means of which the sleeve may be conveniently pulled downwardly against the action of spring I6 by 40 hand.

The upper end of the casing I is provided with a socket 23 shaped to receive the neck of the bottle or the like container, a rubber washer 24 preferably being provided between the casing and the 45 ybottle neck so as to insure a moisture-proof seal between the apparatus and bottle. When a bottle of powder or granular material is applied to the socket as illustrated in Fig. l, the material flows downwardly between the ns I4 into the 50 chamber I3. Then when the sleeve 20 is pulled downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 4, the valve stem and the parts carried thereby are moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the 55 material in chamber I3 flows out between the enlarged lower end of the valve stem and the sleeve 20, the valve I then filling the orifice 8 so that no more material may flow from the bottle into the chamber I3 until the valve stem is again permitted to snap back to its retracted position in response to the spring I6.

In flowing from the chamber I3 the material to be dispensed would ordinarily have a tendency to spread and scatter to such an extent that it would not all enter the mouth of the tumbler even though the tumbler be directly in line with the device. To avoid this tendency, I provide an outwardly inclined surface 24 near the lower end of the valve stem and an inwardly beveled surface 25 at the lower end of the sleeve 20. The surface 24 directs the material outwardly against the sleeve 20 which in extended position directs the material downwardly and the surface 25 then directs the material inwardly toward the axis of the valve stem so that the material tends to focus or converge at the mouth of the tumbler. Thus, the material is not only prevented from scattering but indeed is caused to enter the tumbler in a stream which is smaller in cross section than that of the opening in the lower end` of the sleeve 20.

During each dispensing operation the spring I6 is retracted and expanded or released, usually being allowed to snap back, and this action is effective in breaking up caked material which might otherwise clog the mouth o'f the bottle and thus prevent the normal amount of material from flowing into the chamber I3. Moreover, the jar or shock incident to the dispensing operation is effective to loosen the material in the bottle and hence insures a free flow of the material into the dispensing chamber and the accurate delivery of a predetermined quantity from the chamber I3 to a tumbler or other receptacle.

As the washer 24 and the contacting beveled surfaces of valve II and the casing I provide moisture-proof and substantially air-tight seals, the material within the bottle B and the dispensing apparatus may be kept indefinitely without danger of deterioration.

The embodiment shown in Figs. to 7 is similar in construction to the previously described embodiment, and comprises a supporting stand having a bifurcated base 3l, an upright portion 32 having rearwardly extending flanges on its lateral edges, and a head member 33 provided with a vertically extended opening and a forwardly extending arm 35 which normally supports the dispensing device, as shown in Fig. 7.

The dispensing device comprises va funnelshaped casing 36, the lower end of which terminates in a depending cylindrical sleeve 31 which defines a dispensing chamber 38. The lower end of the sleeve is provided with an inwardly beveled surface constituting a valve seat and defining an outlet or discharge orifice. The upper end of the casing is provided with a laterally extending annular flange 40, spaced below the upper end of the casing and providing a seat for supporting a container or reservoir 42 which holds the material to be dispensed. The container may be either a tubular casing having open ends, as here shown, or it may be a conventional metal can disposed in inverted position on the flange 4U. In either case the open end of the container fits tightly about the upper end of the casing 36 so as to provide a moisture-proof and substantially air-tight seal, and if desired, the top of the container may be provided with a suitable opening and a; tight ttlng cover member 43, as shown in Fig.

A spider 48 is' supported within the casing 36 and is provided with a central opening coaxial with the casing and sleeve. A valve stem 50 is slidably mounted in the opening and carries a valve member 5I. adapted loosely to fit within the upper part of the sleeve 31 and normally disposed above the sleeve as shown by the full lines in Fig, 5. A second valve member 52, preferably similar to that of the previously described embodiment, is secured to the stern 50 adjacent to its lower end, and is provided with an annular beveled surface 53 constructed and arranged to seat squarely against the beveled surface on the lower end of the sleeve 31, so as to provide a moisture-proof and substantially air-tight closure. The valve members 5I and 52 are normally held in retracted position, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 5, by means of a helical compression spring 55 which is circumposed about the upper end of the stem 5D with its lower end seating on the spider 48 and its upper end engaging a removable pin 56 carried by the stem. The spring 55 is normally held under suicient compression yieldingly to oppose advanced movement of the stem and valve members, relative to the casing and sleeve, so that when the stem and valve members are disposed in advanced position, relative to the casing, the spring is operative quickly to return the parts to their normal position.

In this embodiment the stern and valve members are held in fixed position, relative to the supporting stand, the lower end of the stem is provided with a spring-pressed latch member 60 which normally engages an inner annular shoulder 6I on a ring 62 integral with the end of the arm 35. The stem and valve members are thus normally locked to the arm 35 but may be easily detached and removed by manually releasing the latch member 60.

The casing 36 is rigidly secured to an arm 64 which carries a vertically depending rod 65 arranged to project downwardly through a bushing 66 in the opening in the head 33. The end of the rod 65 engages a boss 68 carried by a lever 69 which is pivoted at 10 to the rear of the upright. The lever'69 projects through a slot 12 on one of the lateral flanges of the upright and its free end may be bent at right angles so as to provide a handle or a grip for the fingers. A laterally extending thumb piece 13 is provided on one end of the head member above the path of movement of the handle or lever 69 so as to provide a convenient rest for the thumb when actuating the lever.

When the parts are in normal position, material within the container is permitted to flow downwardly between the arms of the spider and into the dispensing chamber 38. By swinging the lever from its normal position to that shown by the broken lines in Figs. 5 and 7, the casing 36, sleeve 31 and container 42 are bodily raised so that the valve members are moved to an advanced position relative to the casing and sleeve. The valve member 5I entering the upper end of the sleeve shuts off further flow of material into the chamber 38 and as the lower valve member 52 is in advanced position, the material contained within the chamber 38 is discharged into a tumbler or other receptacle disposed between the bifurcated base of the stand. After the material has been discharged, the lever 69 is released, preferably being permltted to snap back.

During each dispensing operation the spring 55 f material to be dispensed as it flows downwardly is first contracted and then expanded and this action is effective to break up any caked material which might otherwise clog the inlet to the chamber 38 or otherwise interfere with a free flow of material from the container. Thev jar or shock incident to the dispensing operation is likewise effective to loosen the material in the container and hence insures a free flow of the material into the dispensing chamber and an accurate delivery therefrom.

While I have shown and described different desirable embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that various changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Dispensing apparatus comprising a tubular casing having an inwardly extending ange spaced from one end and defining an orice having a supply chamber above and a dispensing chamber below the orice, the lower end of said dispensing chamber having a discharge outlet, a stem mounted for reciprocatory movement relative to said casing, said stem extending through said orice with its upper end extending into said supply chamber, a. pair of spaced valves on said stem for closing said orice and opening said outlet, respectively, in response to relative reciprocation of said stem from a retracted position to advanced position and for opening said orifice and closing said outlet in response to relative reciprocation of said stem from advanced to retracted position, and a spring secured at'one end to said stem adjacent to its upper end and having its opposite end disposed within the lower end of said supply chamber at a point in the vicinity of said orifice, said spring normally maintaining said stem in retracted position and beig operative in response to relative reciprocation of said stem to agitata material in the lower end of said supply chamber.

2. Apparatus for dispensing powdered and/or granular material comprising a tubular casing having an inwardly extending flange spaced from its lower end and dening an orifice having a supply chamber above and a dispensing chamber below the orice, the lower end of said dispensing chamber having a discharge outlet in alignment with said orifice, a stem extending axially through said orice with its upper end projecting into said supply chamber, a bearing member disposed above but in close proximity to said orice for supporting said stem for reciprocatory movement relative to said casing, a pair of spaced valves on said stemior closing said orice and opening said discharge outlet, respectively, in response to relative reciprocation of said stem from a retracted position to an advanced position and for opening said orice and closing said outlet in response to relative reciprocation of said stem from advanced to retracted position, and a coiled compression spring surrounding the inner end of said stem and supported at one end on said bearing member and anchored at its opposite end to said stem adjacent to its inner end, said spring normally holding said stem in retracted position and being operative in response to relative reciprocation of said stem to .break up lumps of the into the vicinity of said orice.

3. Dispensing apparatus comprising, a tubular casing having an inwardly extending flange spaced from one end and dening an orifice having a supply chamber above and a dispensing chamber below the orice, the lower end of said dispensing chamber having a dischargel outlet, a stem mounted forreciprocatory movement relative to said casing, said stem extending vthrough said orice with its upper end extending into said supply chamber, a pair of spaced valves on said stem for closing said orice and opening said outlet, respectively, in response to relative reciprocation of said stem from a retracted positionl to advanced position and for opening said orice and closing said outlet in response to relative reciprocation of said stem from advanced to retracted position, a spring secured at one end to said stem adjacent to its upper end and having its opposite end disposed within the lower end of said supply chamber at a point in the vicinity of said orice, said spring normally maintaining said stem in retracted position and being operative in response to relative reciprocation of said stem to agitate material in the lower end of said supply chamber, and reciprocating means located on the outside of said casing for eiecting reciprocatory movement of said stem relative to said casing.

4. Dispensing apparatus comprising a tubular casing having an inwardly extending flange spaced from one end and defining an orice having a supply chamber above and a dispensing chamber below the orice, the lower end of said dispensing chamber having a discharge outlet, a stem mounted for reciprocatory movement within said casing, said stem extending through said orice with its upper end extending into said supply chamber, a pair of spaced valves on said stem for closing said oriiice and opening said outlet, respectively, in response to reciprocation of said stem from a retracted position to advanced position and for opening said orice and closing said outlet in response to reciprocation of said stem from advanced to retracted position, a spring secured at one end to said stem adjacent to its upper end and having its'opposite end disposed within the lower end of said supply chamber at a point in the vicinity of said orice, said spring normally maintaining said' stem in retracted position and being operative in response to reciprocation of said stern to agitate material in the lower end of said supply chamber, a sleeve slidably mounted at the lower end of said casing and providing a delivery tube for conducting material discharged through said outlet when slid downwardly to extended position, and connections between said stem and sleeve whereby said stem is reciprocated when said sleeve is slid downwardly to extended position.

5. Dispensing apparatus comp-rising a stand, a tubular casing supported on said stand for reciprocatory movement, said tubular casing having an inwardly extending kflange spaced from one end and defining an orice having a supply chamber above and a dispensing chamber below the orice, the lower end of said dispensing chamber having a discharge outlet, a stem secured in xed position relative to said stand, said stem extending through said outlet and orice with its upper end extending into said supply chamber, a pair of spaced valves on said stem for closing said orice and opening said outlet, respectively,

in response to reciprocation of said casing from a retracted position to advanced position and for opening said orice and closing said outlet in response to relative reciprocat-ion of said casing from advanced to retracted position, a coiled spring secured at one end to said stem adjacent to its upper end and having its opposite end disposed within the lower end of said supply chamber at a pointl in the vicinity of said orifice, said spring normally maintaining said stem in retracted position and being operative in response t0 relative reciprocation of said stern to agitate material in the lower end of said supply chamber, and means mounted on said stand for reciprocating said casing.

FRED B. SAUNDERS. 

